


Unforgivable

by wellthatjusthappend



Series: Merfolk AU [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, I don't leave you in complete angst like usual, Infanticide, Lack of Morals, M/M, Return of the Mermaid AU!, implied Slade/Dick at one point, implied possible off screen JayRoman though never confirmed, implied possible rape/non-con, implied possible species typical sexual violence, nonhuman trafficking, really seriously if you can't read that don't read this, species typical violence, the end is looking up though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-06 02:01:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11590656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthatjusthappend/pseuds/wellthatjusthappend
Summary: “I’m hiring you because Black Mask has this pretty pet that is drawing customers away from the Iceberg,” Penguin said, eyes glittering meanly, “I want it gone. I don’t care what you do with it; toss it back into the ocean, sell it, kill it. Just get rid of it.”“Consider it done.” Deathstroke smiled.





	Unforgivable

**Author's Note:**

> Return of the Mer AU! I was in a mood and decided to ride it through. I'd been thinking about writing something with Slade in this AU for a while but it took me to figure out just what configuration I wanted for it though.
> 
> Heads up! If you didn't read the tags please do before proceeding!

“Well, this is unexpected.” Slade drawled lazily swirling his drink as he sat in a private balcony overlooking the Iceberg Lounge.

“Is it?” asked Penguin asked, voice high and nazily, “Surely it must be obvious why I called you here.”

“I admit I have a hunch.” Slade said with a tight smile, “But I’m afraid I may have to cut you off early: unless your business is of something primarily outside of Gotham I may have have to decline. I can tangle with the Bat as needed, but I try to avoid doing so unnecessarily.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Penguin dismissed, “While my business is within gotham, it shouldn’t have anything to do with the Bat.”

Slade hummed unconvinced until Penguin brought out a large brief case neatly packed with cash. Quite a generous amount too. Well then.

“What can I do for you?” Slade smiled a lot more warmly.

“What do you know of Black Mask?” ask Penguin.

“I do, he has rather deep pockets around here.” Said Slade lightly. A gentle warning. You’re going to have to pay me more if whatever you ask me to do makes me his enemy.

“Humf, he has no class,” Said Penguin stiffly, “But rest assured, if you do your job right no one need know you even involved.”

“And what, exactly, would I be doing?” Slade inquired.

“Termination is your specialty, is it not?” asked Penguin with with a mean smile.

Slade paused with his drink halfway to his mouth.

“I’m afraid killing the Black Mask will cost you a little more than that.” he nodded towards the briefcase.

“Aha, I wish that was what I was hiring you for. No, alas, Roman still proves to be a handy business partner most days.” Penguin gave a hacking laugh.

“Ah, I see.” said Slade taking a sip of his drink. It tasted like shit. But definitely expensive tasting shit so that almost made up for it.

“You see, recently Black Mask has gotten himself a bit of a flashy pet. A deep sea monster.” Penguin said with displeasure.

“Ah, yes. A Merman, correct?” smiled Slade.

“Flashy,” Penguin bared his teeth, which Slade considered a bit ironic considering the Polar theme of the nightclub, “He occasionally has even has been charging money for viewing when there’s someone his business partners want to see meet a nasty end.”

“Charming.” said Slade dryly.

“It’s vulgar is what it is,” Spat Penguin, “But the fools are eating it up. Even asking _me_ when I plan to get a Mer attraction at the Iceberg. Preposterous. Merfolk eat seals and penguins it won’t be totally barbaric to have one here. But because _Roman_ has one people expect _me_ to have one too.”

“Ah, I see.” said Slade trying not to let his amusement show at the pettiness of it all.

“I want it gone. I don’t care what you do with it; toss it back into the ocean, sell it, kill it. Just get rid of it.” Penguin said, beady eyes glittering meanly.

“Consider it done.” smiled Slade.

* * *

 

Slade frowned down into the tank. He’d staked out the place for a few weeks ahead of time as usual, knew that when Roman wanted his pet out of the tank he had a huge, sturdy, net that he now used to scope him out and carrying him into a back room. Slade felt no need to watch that. Roman was welcome to his fetishes, Slade had no room to judge.

The Mer was very striking, dark black hair with a white streak and long powerful black and red tail. The name on the lid of the tank read JASON in bold letters. The Mer was very violent as was typical of his species in Slade’s experience. Though the increase in violence as of late was a little confusing, as was the sudden territorial behavior.

Rather than swimming around the whole expanse of the tank, Jason had taken to sequestering himself at the bottom of the tank between the rocks. He hadn’t even come out from his spot when Slade had opened the tank, instead glowering up at him, his eyes eerie in the way that reflected the light. This was most troublesome since it meant that Slade couldn’t get him with the net in his current hiding spot.

Perhaps Jason knew that though.

Slade sighed, he’d had a feeling it would come to this. Which is why he’d arranged for Roman to be detained at the other side of the city. Batman and Robin would be all over it and it would take Black Mask at least a day to make his way back here. Slade would be long done by then.

“When I get him out of that spot, get him with the net.” Slade instructed the few men he’d hired for this job.

“Yes sir,” they said though they looked at Slade as fitted a breathing mask over his face like he was crazy. Any other human would be to willingly dive into any waters they knew a Mer was lurking in. Slade was not a regular human though. The super serum gave him increased strength and healing abilities beyond what would be possible for any other human. He’d fought Merfolk before and had the equipment to do handle their sharp teeth and powerful tails.

The Mer were always so shocked by this, it gave him an advantage. That a human could defeat them and hold them down. A fact that was made extra interesting by the fact that such behavior was a normal signal for ‘interest to mate’ amongst the hunter species. He could still remember that time he’d pinned Batman’s pretty pet in the Gotham bay. Face and body out of fairytale, iridescent blue tail, wide blue eyes so wide and surprised, body arching up in an instinctive offer to his victor even if his face had remained uncertain…

Slade grinned at the memories. That was not for today though.

Jason tensed up visibly when Slade dove into the water, fins flaring in alarm. He didn’t immediately come out and attack the seemingly easy prey though which meant either he was more seriously attached to his little nook than Slade previous thought or he was smarter than your regular Mer and somehow sensed that Slade was more dangerous than he seemed. Perhaps a little bit of both, Slade mused as Jason tracked him with intelligent focus, body coiled in a way that would make it difficult to hit him with a tranquilizing dart. He also seemed to be keeping an eye out for the net.

Not going to be easily tricked then, Slade mused. He’d need a more direct strategy.

When Slade swam closer, Jason started making this low growl punctuated with high clicks. It sounded like something straight from hell, sharp and clear the way sounds always were in the water, and made the hair underneath Slade’s armor stand up on end. It sounded like a promise of pain and a bloody death. Slade grinned and drew a specially made and hooked blade he’d had made especially for cases like this when he’d first started dealing with Merfolk.

Jason could apparently tolerate him coming no closer because he struck lightning fast. Slade grunted as he was slammed against the rocks and Jason went right for his arm with the spear. Fortunately Jason’s teeth couldn't pierce his armor but the strength in his jaw still cracked the bone in his arm making him reflexively let go of the weapon. Jason immediately shattered the weapon with a strike of his tail and twisted away before Slade could stab him.

Fucking hell. That wasn’t normal Mer combat style. Someone had taught this one how to fight with humans and human weapons. Taught him what things might be most dangerous for him and where humans were weaker. That spear had tranquilizing darts in it and Jason seemed to know it. Black Mask certainly hadn’t taught his pet to fight like that, but Slade had no idea who would’ve.

Jason was back to floating between him and his hiding place, far enough away to not be in range but still inaccessible to the net. Clever, clever, clever fish.

Slade flexed his injured hand as his bone knit itself back together, and grabbed another weapon. Better to think of this more like a fight with Black Manta or an Atlantean than a Mer. Though it would still be sans guns and magic and plus a hell a lot more strength per attack. He’d like to take Jason alive, he could fetch a handsome price on the market, but if he couldn’t then he’d still be fulfilling the terms of the contract.

This time, when Jason came at him Slade was ready for him. He was still faster than any normal human would’ve been able to react to but… well, Slade was his own brand of monster. Jason screeched as one of Slade’s blades sliced his sides but he just redoubled his efforts. Slade grunted as he felt several of his ribs crack under a hard blow from his tail. He sliced across with his blade while delivering a hard kick for Jason’s gut- Which Jason blocked correctly, albeit a little clumsily, and then a sharp uppercut with the heel of his hand which would have ripped Slade’s head off it had connected.

Curiouser and Curiouser.

Slade would be tempted to play longer, to see if he could draw out more of what the Mer could do, but sadly that was not his mission and no matter who had trained the kid, he was still no match for Deathstroke.

Next time Jason got close he let him sink his sharp teeth into the armor of his shoulder and struck him hard in them temple. It didn’t knock him out the way it would for a human- Merfolk had harder skulls than their human cousins- but it did temporarily stun him. Enough time for Slade to kick him into the welcoming arms of the net.

Gingerly, Slade rolled his shoulder until he could feel that arm again as he watched the workers above secure the Mer in the net. He glanced at the little cove Jason had been protecting so adamantly. Even now, as Slade got closer to the place Jason roused enough to start growling again warningly. Slade peered a bit closer and…

Well, that made a lot of things make sense, Slade mused as he surveyed the eggs nestled carefully in the soft sand.

All Mer had eggs sometimes regardless of if they were maids or men, and Merfolk were very protective of the eggs regardless of if they were fertilized or not. Black Mask didn’t have any other Mer for Jason to mate with so they were likely just Oocytes that would just break down after a while. Then again, he wouldn’t put it past Roman to be sexually active with his pet. The last thing Slade needed was Penguin throwing a fit claiming he hadn’t fulfilled his contract when Black Mask turned up with a tank full of little half-breed Mer babies. Because there was no telling if they really fertilized he couldn’t sell them either.

There was really only one thing to do.

Jason started screeching and thrashing in the net and shrieking as Slade began to quickly stomp and crush the eggs. They weren’t like bird eggs with a hard shell, instead they were soft and faintly translucent. A lot more vulnerable. Slade didn’t really think about it much. He just finished destroying them and checked around to make sure he hadn’t missed any and then swam to the surface where Jason was being lifted out.

Slade had stopped feeling guilt or remorse for this kind unforgivable of work a long time ago.

“I’m going to kill you! I’m going to fucking rip out your throat-!” Jason started screaming at him when they above water. He was still caught in the net, bloody and vicious and his eye half crazed with murderous fire as they stayed locked on Slade. He was strangely beautiful like that, like a poem about the most perfectly horrifying nightmare. He was also cursing Slade more creatively than most humans did.

Interesting.

It was spooking the workers though who doubtless had been thinking of Mer as just dumb violent beasts. Idiots.

“Sedate him.” Slade ordered and began checking around to make sure he hadn’t left any evidence that it had been _him_ to break into Black Mask’s base.

* * *

 

They held an underground auction the next night taking advantage of the fact that Black Mask’s lawyers were still working on bailing him out of Black Gate again. Slade made sure his name and involvement stayed out of it, letting another run the actual auction. He’d kill the man and take the money after Jason was sold. So far the numbers were even better than he’d hoped for especially considering Jason’s attitude.

He’d alternated between being so violently out of control that he’d actually cracked his tank and had to be moved into new one and being completely despondent and ignoring all of them. Still, Slade counted himself lucky that Jason was such an obviously beautiful and strong specimen that he was still fetching so wonderful prices.

The price jumped suddenly and Slade examined the newcomer with interest. He wore a hideously clashing suit and tie and yet still seemed to reek of money and disrepute. Despite the sleazy grin he flashed and the way he mingled with familiarity with the other crooks… There was something not quite right about him. Like a panther pretending to be a fox.

Matches Malone.

Slade didn’t like him one bit, but he was top bidder right now so he’d tolerate him. He didn’t really care if Jason fell into disreputable hands. His little techy lackey was watching the tank a little _too_ avidly. Slade checked the guest list. Alvin Draper. He quickly searched him. There was just enough information to avoid suspicion if someone did go looking, but digging a little further… nothing. Obviously a fake identity.

Unsurprisingly, the bid went to them in the end.

Slade had his money, but just for curiosity's sake he followed the two to a crummy apartment complex. Matches left shortly after to prepare a _very_ expensive and particular truck that was just unassuming enough to not draw attention. It was also very clearly modified for transporting Merfolk. He’d very clearly done this before.

Inside the apartment, Alvin tapped something out against the glass of the tank and mouthed Jason’s name. Jason’s head snapped up and focused on him with surprised recognition and confusion. Without missing a beat Alvin stripped down and- tech workers did not have scars like that. Nor that many. He then fastened a rebreather over his mouth and climbed into the tank. Slade waited for Jason to tear the idiotic kid’s ass apart but the Mer just pulled the boy down to the bottom of the tank with him and tucked him against him. Alvin pressed a kiss to Jason’s shoulder and Jason stroked his cheek possessively.  

It was a embrace that spoke of familiarity.

Matches came back and barely looked surprised to find the two of them like that. His movements smooth and quick, guise of just being a rich criminal dropped. Slade watched him grab Alvin’s clothes and then load the two of them into the truck and drive out towards the city limits.

Slade watched them go. So long as they weren’t working for Black Mask- which they didn’t seem to be- he didn’t care. It wasn’t his business and he didn’t care. He had twice the amount of money he thought he’d get from this job.

It was time to leave Gotham.

**Author's Note:**

> Jason I'm sorry I really do love you. But he's safe now at last! Though Tim and Bruce better keep Dick and Jason separate, that would not end well!
> 
> Come bother me on [Tumblr!](https://wellthatjusthappend.tumblr.com/)


End file.
